Heating apparatus



Oct; 14, 1930. Q C, DAVIS 1,778,146

HEATING APPARATUS Filed April l5, 1929 A TTORNEYJ,

Patented Oct. 14, v 1230 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATING APPARATUS Application mea April 15,

My invention has relation to a heating apparatus.

An important object of my invention is the provision ofan improved heating apparatus,

which is capable of attaining a highdegree of eiciency in heating capacity.

A further object is to provide a heating apparatus in which provision is made Whereby, when the steam or other air heating medium reaches a certain predetermined pressure, due to an increase in the intensity of the heat generated by the boiler, a suction fan is caused to be automatically operated,

thereby creating a suction-and producing a forced feed of the heated air through the radiator, the increased temperature of the Steam passing through the tubes of said radiator, due to the increased heat generated by the boiler, causing the temperature of 2o the air forced through said radiator to be also increased, said air then being conveyed to the room at a higher temperature than when the boiler is generating a lower degree of heat.

A further object residesvin a construction whereby the heat generated by the discharging smoke and gases is utilized to a maximumdegree to assist in heating the air.

A still further object is an improved means for providing for the entrance in the boiler casing of fresh external air in conjunction with means for preliminarily heating this air through the medium of the smoke and heated products of combustion discharged from the boiler.

With the above objects, and other incidental objects, in view, the invention consists of the devices and parts, or the equivalents thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the complete apparatus; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrow; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3,-3 of Fig. 1, a fragment of the fresh air `intake pipe being shown, and the view also showing, by dotted lines, the valves controlling the fresh air intake as in open position.

1929. Serial N0. 355,378.

Referring to the drawing, themumeral 4 indicates the steam boiler, adapted for the use of any desired form of fuel, such as oil, coal, etc. This boiler is of the usual construction both exteriorly and interiorly, and hence a detail description thereof is unnecessary.

The numeral 5 indicates an outer casing which encloses the different elements of the apparatus, including the steam boiler, with the' exception of the front of said steam boiler, which, of course, is exposed to afford access to the doors, etc.

In the upper portion of the casing, and at the back thereof, is a hot air chamber 6, which extends transversely or across the back of said upper portion.

Intermediate of this chamber 6 is an offset portion 7, containing in the front thereof a fan 8.

Supported on a bracket 9 attachedA to the front of the upper portion of the casing is a motor 10, the shaft 11 thereof extending through a bearing 12 in the front wall of the casing, and then through an opening 13 in the front of the offset portion 7 The inner end of this shaft is connected to"A the fan 8. The shaft is also rotatably supported at a point between its ends in a hanger 14 depending from the top of the casing.

In the offset portion, just back of the fan 8 is a radiator 1-5, very similar in construction to an ordinary automobile radiator, that is to say, it is provided with a series of small tubes arranged vertically and transversely so as to afford .a number of small spaces, to allow for full circulation of the air. These tubes are adapted for the passage of steam therethrough.

Connecting with the opposite sides of the 9o chamber 6 are hot air pipes 16y for conveying the heated air to the places to be heated.

The operation of the motor 10 is automatically and electrically regulated. Two Wires,

17 and 18, are connected to the motor. The 95 wire 17 leads to, and connects with, a contact point 19 carried at the upper end of a bellowsQO, said bellows being supported on a shelf 21. A small pipe 22 extends through the shelf 21, and communicates with thein- The steam, of course, at all times fills the short pipe 22 and the bellows 20, but when there is a low temperature the pressure of the steam is not suiiicient to expand thebel-4 lows. When the drafts'of the steam boiler are open so as to create greater combustion, the steam pressure is increased, land when the pressure reaches a certain predetermined point, it is suiicient to expand the bellows. The expansion of the bellows brings the oint 19 into vcontact with the fixed point 24, t ereby completing the electrical circuit. uThis, of course, causes the motorL to rotate the motor shaft 11 and, consequently, the fan 8. The advantages and purposes of this will be more fully described later on.

A steam pipe 25 projects from the upper portion of the steam boiler, andi extends through one of the side walls of the offset .portion 7, at the upper end of said side wall,

and communicates with small tubes of the radiator 15. Another return steam pipe 26 communicates with the small tubes of the radiator, and then extends through the side wall of the offset portion 7,.at the lower end of said offset portion, and .thence is continued downwardly and extends through the back wall of the casing of the steam boiler, and communicates with the interior thereof, at the lower portion of the casing. In this way, provision is made for the circulation of steam from the steam boiler to the steam tubes ofthe radiator, and from said steam tubesback to the boiler casing.

Il have heretofore referred to the hot air pipes 16 leadingto the rooms to be heated. There are also return pipes, which are designated bythe numeral 27--27, which lead from the rooms to the space within the casing back of the steam' boiler 4. This neces; sarily provides for a complete circulation of the air, that is to say, the hotA air, after it has served its purpose of transmitting heat tothe rooms, and after it has cooled suficiently, returns via the pipes 27-27 to 'the air space about the boiler, to be reheated and again conducted to the rooms through the conduits or pipes 16.

,When the air is returned from the rooms through the pipes 27, it is apt to be dust la den. I therefore provide means for catching the dust thus carried back by thereturning air, and this means consists of a series of ropes 28-28, of fuzzy material, which depends from brackets 29--29 secured to the inside of the casing just above the openings with which the pipes 27 -27 communicate. These ropes extend downwardly and across the said openings. DustA carried by the entering ail.l is retarded and caught by the said ropes, owing to the fuzzy character of the' material of the ropes, and hence said dust is `prevented from entering the air space about the steam boiler and commingling with the air about said boiler:

It is desirable that provision be made for the entrance of-fresh air into the space of the boiler casing. For the purpose of accomplishing this, I provide an opening 30, which is normally closed by pivoted gravity valves 31-31 located inside of .thecasing wall. Communicating with the opening 30 is a fresh air intake pipe 32, which is eX- tended to a point where fresh air is free to enter the same. The gravity valves 31 are normally closed, as shown in Fig. 1. When, however, the fan is in operation, the suction created by the fan is suiicient to open the valves inwardly' and upwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. f

The smoke and gases, from the v steam boiler 'enter a pipe 33 extending fromathe back wall of said boiler. The lower end of this pipe communicates withl drum `34, which is preferably arranged centrally of the space at the rear of the steam boiler, and said drum is preferably supported on a horizontal support or table 35 having depending legs 36, which rest on the ioor of the boiler casing.

Extending longitudinally and centrally of the drum is a tube 37, which is open at opposite ends.

Also communicating with the drum, and extending through the back wall of the casing 5 is a pipe 38, for conducting the smoke and gases to a suitable point of discharge.

In theoperation of the apparatus, if only a low or comparatively low degree of temperature is required for heating, the electrical contacts 19 and 24 are separated, as shown in Fig. 1, and when thus separated, of course, the fan 8 is not being rotated. Under the vconditions just mentioned, the steam passes from the steam boiler 4, through the pipe 25, and circulates through the Various small steam tubes of the radiator, and is carried back to the casing through the pipe 26. vThe v air in the spaces' ofthe casing 5 back ofA and above the steam boiler is of course heated by the boiler, and passes through the open-` or apartments is sufficiently reduced or` cooled, said airflows downwardly from the pipes 27-27 into the space of the casing back of the steam boiler, and any dust carried by said air is arrested and held by the ropes 28, as hereinbefore fully pointed out. The return air, entering the casing through the pipes 27 is, of course, reheated, and again flows to the rooms through the pipes 16, which of course results in a continuous flow of air from the casing to the rooms to be heated, and back to the casing.

Whenever a higher temperature is desired, the drafts of the boiler are either opened manually, or by means of an ordinary automatically operated heat regulator. The opening of the drafts, of course, creates a hot fire, and necessarily results in intensifying the heat of the steam, thereby increasing the pressure exerted by the steam which flows through the pipe 25 and through the small tubes of the radiator and back to the casing. As the stea1n,as heretofore explained, always fills the small tube 22 and the bellows 20, necessarily when the pressure of the steam is increased, this will have the effect, when the steam pressure reaches a certain predetermined expanding the bellows upwardly. This expansion of the bellows brings the point 19 into contact with the stationary point 24, thus completing the electrical circuit. When the electrical circuit is completed of course the shaft 11 is caused to rotate, and the fan carried thereby also is necessarily rotated. The rotation of the fan creates a strong suction which draws the air in the casing 5 upwardly, said upwardly drawn air, as previously explained, passing through the opening 13 of the fan casing, thence through the spaces of the radiator, where it is also subjected to the increased heat of the steam in the radiator tubes, and thence flows to the rooms to be heated through the pipe 16, and then back to the casing by the return pipes 27.

The air in the space back of the steam boiler is subjected at all times not only to vthe heat radiated by the steam boiler, but

also to the heat radiated by the smoke and gas pipe 33, by the drum 34, and by the discharge pipe 38.

.When the fan is rotated in the manner previously described, the suction is also sufficient to cause an opening of the gravity valves 31, and this permits a supply of fresh air to be dra-wn intothe casing, said air entering the casing in a cold condition. This air therefore has a tendency, initially, to remain in the lower portion of the casing, but owing to the suction exerted by the rotation of the fan, it is drawn upwardly through the lower open end of the tube 37, and, in its passage through said tube, is heated by the smoke and heated products of combustion which circulate through the drum surrounding said tube. This air, therefore, is preliminarily heated in its passage through the tube 37, and is drawn upwardly in said tube and out of the upper open end thereof, where it commingles with the other air in the casing, and

pressure, say two pounds, of.

is caused to be conveyed to the rooms to be heated.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be seen that I provide a heating apparatus in which the greatest possible heating efficiency, is secured, and in which the heated air is caused to circulate to the rooms to be heated and then back to the casing, so as to provide for a continuous circulation of the air.

My invention also provides an apparatus wherein when the drafts are opened, and the intensity of the tire thereby increased, and the pressure of the steam augmented, an automatically operating electrically controlled fan is put into operation, which causes a forced feed by reason of the suction created by the fan, and which forced feed acts to force the air through the spaces between the small tubes of the radiator to be thereby sub jected to the increased heat radiated by said tube, with the result that the air is discharged into the rooms at an increased temperature, and a very rapid change of temperature in the rooms is necessarily obtained, due to the forced circulation.

My invention also presents the advantage of utilizing to the maximum the heat from the smoke, gases and products of combustion, as hereinbefore fully explained, and furthermore provides for the automatic admission-'of the fresh air from the exterior, when the heat from the lire is intensified, and the pressure of the steam thereby raised, said external air being also subjected, initially, not only to the heat radiated by the boiler, but also to the heat from the products of combustion, which products of combustion flow through the pipe 33, drum 34, and I discharge pipe 38, the cool air encountering this heat more particularly in the flow of said air through the tube 37, which is surrounded by the drum 34.

While l have described in the specification, and set forth the use of steam as the medium for heating the air, yet l do not wish to be understood as limiting myself solely to the use of steam for that purpose, as other mediums for heating the air, such, for instance, as hot water, can be used, and can be caused to circulate from the boiler through the pipe 25, through the radiator, and back to the boiler through pipe 26, without departing from of my invention.

What l claim is:

1. ln a heating apparatus, the combination of a main casing, a boiler extending into the casing and occupying but a portion ofthe space of said casing, leaving communicating spaces back of and over the top of the boiler, a supplemental casing within the upper portion of the main casingand forming a chamber for the heated air, one of the walls of said supplemental casing being provided with an opening, whereby the heated air going upwardly in the main casing is free to flow into the supplemental casing, means for conveying theheated air `through the spaces between said tubes beforel entering the main portion of the supplemental casing, a steam supply pipe eX-` tending from the steam-boiler and communicating with the radiator tubes, a steam return pipe leading from the radiator tubes back to the interior of the steam boiler, a'

suction fan located in the supplenmental casing in advance of the radiator, and means for automatically operating said suction fan, when the pressure of the steam is increased, due to an increase inthe heat generated by the boiler.

2. In a heatingv apparatus, the combination of a main casing, a boiler extending into the casing and occupying but a portion of the space of said casing, leaving communicating spaces back of and over the top of the boiler, a supplemental casing within the upper portion of the main casing. and forming a chamber for the heated air, one of the walls of said supplemental casing being provided .with an opening, whereby the heated air rising in the main casing is free to iiow into the supplemental icas- -ing, means for. conveying the heated air from the supplemental casing to the place .to be heated, and for returning said air to the interior of the main casing, a radiator disposed within the front portion of the sup: plemental casing and providedv with a series of steam tubes, the heated air passing through the spaces between saidfsteam tubes before entering the main portion of the supplemental casing, a steam supply pipe extending from the boiler and communieating with the radiator tubes, a steam return pipe leading from the radiator tubes back to the interior of the steam boiler, forced air feed mechanism, and means for automatically operating said forced feed mechanism when the steam pressure is increased, due to increased the boiler.

3. The combination of a casing, a heater within the casing, conduits for conveying the heated air from the casing .to the place to be heat generated by heated and for returning said air back to the casing, mechanism for forcing the air in the casing from the conduits to the place to be heated and back tothe casing, and steam pressure operated means for automatically operating said mechanism, when the steam generated bythe heater reaches a certain predetermined pressure.

4. The combination of a casing, a heater within the casing, conduits for conveying the heated air from the casing to the place to be heated, and for returning said air back to the casing, a steam radiator in the path of movement of the heated air, said heated air passing b ack to the causing, and steam pressure operated means for automatically operating said force feed, when the steam generated by the heater reaches a certain predetermined pressure.

5. In a heating apparatus, the combination of a main casinga heater within said casing,

a supplemental casing within the main casing and in communication with said main casing, and formingr a chamber into which the heated air is drawn, conduits for conveying the heated air from the supplemental casing to the place to be heated, and for returning said heated air back to the main casing, a fan within the front portion of the supplemental casing, an electric motor, the shaft thereof being connected to the fan, wires leading from the motor to the electrical contacts, one of said electrical contacts being movable,and steam pressure operated means, and when a predetermined pressure' is attained, for automatically moving the movable Contact into engagement with the iixed contact to thereby complete the electrical circuit to the motor and. cause the rotation of the fan.

6. In a heating apparatus, the combination of a main'casing, a heater within said casing, a supplemental casing within the main casing and in communication therewith and forming a chamber into which the heated air is drawn, conduits for conveying the heated air from the supplemental casing to the place to be heated and back to the main casing, a fan within the front portion of the supplemental casing, a radiator back of the fan and within the supplemental casing, the heated air adapted to be drawn through the spaces between the steam tubes of the radiator and into the main portion of the supplemental casing, an electric motor,"tl1e shaft of the motor being connected to the fan, a bellows, electrical contacts, one of said contacts being carried by the bellows and movable therewith to bring it into and out ofengagement with the iixed contact, wires extending fromv the motor and connecting with the respective contacts, and means for conveying steam from theboilrto the bellows, the said steam, when it attains a certain predetermined pressure, expanding the bellows and bringing the contacts into engagement, to thereby complete the electrical circuit and cause a rotation of the fan. 

